Nearly 20 ambassadors and diplomats working in Vietnam personally experienced Vietnamese pho on Saturday morning in northern Nam Dinh Province, which is known as the birth of place of the traditional noodle soup.

In order to honor traditional pho and Vietnamese culinary culture, Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, organized the pho experience event, as part of the sixth ‘Day of Pho - December 12’ celebration, with the cooperation of the Vietnam Culinary Culture Association and the Nam Dinh People’s Committee, as well as the official sponsoship of Acecook Vietnam Joint Stock Company.

Mongolian Ambassador to Vietnam Jigjee Sereejav (R), Maria Fatima Phumbe (R, 2nd), Minister Plenipotentiary of the Embassy of Mozambique in Vietnam, and two other delegates from foreign diplomatic agencies in Vietnam experience pho at the Day of Pho event organized by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper in Nam Dinh Province, Vietnam, December 10, 2022. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre

Pakistani Ambassador to Vietnam Samina Mehtab and her husband, two of the delegates that arrived at the event at the earliest, felt honored to attend the pho event.

“We are very happy to be here,” said Samina.

“Pho is a very healthy and nutritious dish. 

“Before coming to Vietnam, we heard a lot about pho and looked forward to enjoying delicious bowls of pho in Vietnam, and other dishes as well.”

The stall of Pho 34 Cao Thang brand, a representative of pho in the south, offers pho at the Day of Pho event organized by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper in Nam Dinh Province, Vietnam, December 10, 2022. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre

Samina added that there are dishes similar to pho in her hometown. 

The Pakistani Ambassador and her husband were both excited to learn about pho ingredients such as cinnamon and star anise.

“Pho has herbs, so this dish is as valuable as herbs, and it can treat cold and flu,” her husband said.

Warrant Officer Class Two Mark Phillips (L) of the Australian Embassy in Vietnam shakes hand with Cao Van Luan, winner of the 2019 Golden Star Anise award, at the Day of Pho event organized by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper in Nam Dinh Province, Vietnam, December 10, 2022. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre

For Maija Seppälä, counselor at the Embassy of Finland, the pho event is an opportunity for her to learn more about Vietnamese culture and cuisine, because she has only been to Vietnam for a month.

“I know that pho is a very important dish in Vietnamese culture, a very famous dish of Vietnamese people, so I want to know how pho is made,” Seppälä said. 

“I’ve eaten pho a few times but I’ve never seen how it is cooked.”

Delegates receive glass plaques for their participation in the Day of Pho event organized by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper in Nam Dinh Province, Vietnam, December 10, 2022. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre

During Saturday’s event, the counselor was surprised to know that cooking pho takes a lot of time.

“I think that if you want to cook this dish properly, you need to invest time and effort, because there are many steps,” she added. 

“The ingredients are also important.

“I will try to cook it at home, but I think I have to practice a lot before that.”

Ivana Judiakova (R), head of the Consular and Visa Department at the Embassy of the Republic of Slovakia in Vietnam, and her sons experience pho at the Day of Pho event organized by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper in Nam Dinh Province, Vietnam, December 10, 2022. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre

On this occasion, the delegates were able to experience and enjoy pho made by various pho shops, including Pho Vuong representing pho from the northern region, Pho Xua Nam Dinh representing pho in Nam Dinh Province, Pho H’Mong representing pho in the mountainous region, Pho 34 Cao Thang representing pho in the south, Pho Hoa Hoi Vang from Australia to represent for Vietnamese pho abroad.

Pho H’Mong is a special kind of pho made by people in the rocky highlands of Ha Giang Province. 

The noodle used to cook this pho is made from corn, the staple food of the highlanders.

Delegates from foreign diplomatic agencies in Vietnam experience pho at the Day of Pho event organized by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper in Nam Dinh Province, Vietnam, December 10, 2022. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre

In addition to serving pho, the event featured Khen dance, flute, and leaf trumpet performances as a way to introduce the local culture to the delegates.

Le Thi Thiet, chairwoman of the Nam Dinh Culinary Culture Association and also the person in charge of the Pho Xua Nam Dinh brand, said that she has devoted all of her time and energy to preserving the original flavor of the traditional pho.

While pho has evolved with many variations to suit each person’s taste, she believed it is the traditional flavors that make up the culture of pho.

Yully Yudhantari Saputri (L), second secretary of the Embassy of Indonesia in Vietnam, and her husband experience pho at the Day of Pho event organized by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper in Nam Dinh Province, Vietnam, December 10, 2022. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre

Delegates receive glass plaques for their participation in the Day of Pho event organized by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper in Nam Dinh Province, Vietnam, December 10, 2022. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre

Kate Bartlett (R), Cultural Affairs Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam, experiences pho at the Day of Pho event organized by Tuoi Tre(Youth) newspaper in Nam Dinh Province, Vietnam, December 10, 2022. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre

Pakistani Ambassador to Vietnam Samina Mehtab (C), her husband (L), and Iranian Ambassador to Vietnam Ali Akbar Nazari learn about ingredients to cook pho at the Day of Pho event organized by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper in Nam Dinh Province, Vietnam, December 10, 2022. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre

Mongolian Ambassador to Vietnam Jigjee Sereejav experiences pho at the Day of Pho event organized by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper in Nam Dinh Province, Vietnam, December 10, 2022. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre

Israeli Ambassador to Vietnam Yaron Mayer (R) and his family members experience pho at the Day of Pho event organized by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper in Nam Dinh Province, Vietnam, December 10, 2022. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre

Delegates listen to UNESCO culinary artisan Hoang Minh Hien (R, 4th)'s guide on how to cook pho at the Day of Pho event organized by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper in Nam Dinh Province, Vietnam, December 10, 2022. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre

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